Container construction



Oct. 20, 1931. w. w. ROBINSON CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 8, 192a Patented Oct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES W'AL'I.ER :ROBINSON,-OF-BELOIT, WISCONSIN, .ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOBENJAM-I'N OFF! CEE LYONS, 'OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION Application filed. iOctober 8,1928. Serial No. 311,236.

vantages will appear hereinafter.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a vertical secin tion throughacontainer made according to theseimprovements; Fig.2 is a horizontal top view of the same with'the top plate'orcover removed; and Fig. '3 is an exploded view in perspective of the various parts, members or pieces shown in otherflgures.

The rectangular contamer structure illustrated comprises a pair ofopposite'ly disposed rectangular plate-like side members 10 and another pair of oppositely disposed rectangular plate-like side members 11. These four pieces may be considered as being cut from flat sheet metal such as aluminum, brass, iron, etc. There is also an upper plate 12 and a lower plate 13, substantially rectangular in shape, and cut from similar flat sheet stock, the corners preferably bemg rounded.

There are four posts of a common construction, each marked 14, and these posts extend between the top and bottom plates.

Each post 14 is formed in my practice of sheet metal of the same kind of stock used for the plates. Each comprises a substantially cylindrical longitudinally extending part 15 and a pair of flanges each of which is marked 16. These flanges 16 define, with the body 15, in cross view, a substantially U-shaped recess or way 17.

In forming a rectangular container the recesses or ways 17 of a given post are directed, in cross view, substantially at right angles to each other, and the space in these Ways respectively, between a flange 16 and the body 15, is such as to receive and accommodate snugly the edge portion of one of the side members. In making a container of some other shape the ways or recesses 17 would be otherwise appropriately disposed angularly with respect to each other.

Being formed of sheet metal, the substanly. Its ends may therefore be 'interi'orly screw-threaded to accommodate screws ias 18 passing-through holes as '19, Fig. -3,zin the tially I cylindrical body '15 is hollow interiorit top and bottom plates, and thusthese top and bottom members are secured rigidly to the posts.

Preferably zthe top and bottom :plates extend slightly beyond the side plates respectively, and the side plates are of equal height with the posts. lVhen the respective -si'de plates'have their opposite edge portions inserted in the recesses 17 ofthe post members which are directed toward each other, and

the top and bottom membersare secured to' the posts the side members are strongly fheld between theitop andbottonimembers and the structure as a whole becomes very strong and rigid.

Oneoftheend members, as 'thelower plate '13, maybe considered a base, and which may have any approvedshape or form. From ithe base, as '13, ithere'extend .a plurality of posts,zas many aslnecessary .to form a given shape of containenat right angles to thebase and parallel to each 1 other. The iposts may be held upon the base :in any I approved way.

:Being held as described the posts present longitudinally-extending ways 'as 1 7 directed toward corresponding i'ways on the adjacent posts respectively. The side "plates, :being severally .cut Ito appropriate length and height, can :be inserted, Itelescopically, into the proper ways, and then the lid 'or cover may be applied.

'Theside members'in this construction are arrangedin-anendless series with edge portions-of adjacent plates-close 'to each other, and, omitt1ng2thet0pandf bottom p'lateathey form a "ring-like open-ended structure. The

.plates which I have called the top and bottom plates 12 and 13 close t-he openends of this structure. Such a ring-like structure may first be formed, 'in the assembly, and

then the topand bottom platesmay be ap- "plied; and in applying the top and bottom plates, since the substantially cylindrical =part 15 :is hollow, it is obvious that other form's of holding means than the screws shown may be used.

The structure is peculiarly advantageous in view of the cheapness and simplicity with which a peculiarly strong container of this character my be formed. The post material as 15 may be rolled or otherwise formed in substantially long strips and cut to length as desired. Likewise the plates are cut from stock material. According to the construction illustrated, therefore, containers of a large variety of sizes, and proportions may be made, in the ra id, simple and cheap method described. Other forms or shapes may also be provided for. One notable advantage is that special dies for each size of container are not required.

While the present improvements have many important uses, they have been designed chiefly as a shield against inductance or other disturbances in connection with electrical devices, particularly such as are found in radio work. In Fig. l I have shown the container as being mounted on a baseboard 20 by screws 21, while within the container or shield is a thermionic tube 22 operatively held upon a tube holder 23 supported by a pair of posts 24 upon the base or lower plate 13. Holes 25, Fig. 3, in plate 13 permit conductors as 26, Fig. 1, to enter the hollow interior of the container for attachment to the terminals of the tube holder.

Among the many manufacturers of radio equipment there are many diflerent requirements as to size, shape and proportions of box-like shields for the various instruments and groups of them. All such requirements may be met with the one construction shown, effecting various economies.

Another advantage of the construction is that the various parts may be shipped to the manufacturer in disassembled or knock-down condition, which effects a saving and greatly facilitates mounting the electrical instruments within the device, as on the base or bottom plate 13. Whether a single instrument or several of them be mounted in a single container, the manufacturer of the set can do this most readily by mounting them upon the base 13 free and independent of all other container parts. The corner posts may then be a plied, and then the top plate.

The user of the device can always gain ready access to the hollow interior by simply removing the top plate. With that plate removed the structure is still firmly coordinated, since the posts are firmly secured to the base and the corner pieces or posts are strongly interlocked with the side plates.

The invention is not limited to size nor to an all-metal construction. The utility of good appearance is also present.

I contemplate as being included in these im ovements all such changes, variations an departures from what is thus specifically illustrated and described as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Container construction comprising a pair of end plates, corner posts extending between said plates, each of said posts comprising a substantially cylindrical body and a pair of longitudinally extending flanges forming with the cylindrical body a pair of substantially U-shaped ways, the ways being directed an ularly with respect to each other and the bofy being within the angle defined by the ways, side plates respectively extending into ways of adjacent posts and positioned between the end plates, and means holding the end plates upon said posts.

2. A post for container construction of the character described comprising a relatively long substantially cylindrical body having a pair of flanges forming with the body a pair of ways directed substantially at right angles with respect to each other in cross view and with the body within the angle defined by the ways, each way being adapted to receive the edge portion of a plate-like side member.

3. A post for container construction of the character described comprising a relatively long substantially cylindrical body having a pair of flanges forming with the body a pair of ways directed angularly with respect to each other in cross view, each way being adapted to receive the edge portion of a platelike side member, said body being hollow and its end portions being interiorly screwthreaded.

WALTER W. ROBINSON. 

